After a moment of reflection, Joe Girardi looks ahead to Game 5

The Yankees skipper discussed CC Sabathia and more ahead of Wednesday's series finale.
Pete Caldera/NorthJersey.com

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi watches his team take batting practice before an American League Division Series baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in New York, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. The Yankees are 0-2 in a best of five series against the heavily favored Indians.(Photo: Kathy Willens, AP)

CLEVELAND – The actress Kate Mara might be glad to know that the Yankees manager spent Tuesday’s team flight here watching ‘Megan Leavey,’ choosing her 2017 film over video breakdowns of Cleveland’s bullpen.

“I’m not a movie critic…I don’t see a ton of them, but I think it’s outstanding,’’ Girardi said. “And a little bit emotional, too.’’

Girardi had become a little emotional himself late Monday night, talking about how his team rallied back from an 0-2 deficit – and the manager’s own critical mistake – to even the AL Division Series.

“It’s a totally different feeling than it was the other day,’’ Girardi said after the Yankees’ 7-3 win against the Indians that forced Wednesday night’s decisive Game 5 at Progressive Field. “And these guys have picked me up.’’

On Tuesday afternoon, Girardi was back in the same conference room where he’d offered unconvincing reasons for not challenging a miscall by Dan Iassogna in Game 2. The plate umpire awarded Lonnie Chisenhall first base for being hit by a pitch that actually nicked the bat; it should have been an inning-ending third strike.

A haunting chain of events followed for Girardi and the Yanks, who saw a five-run lead melt into 13-inning loss.

One day later, Girardi dropped the “I didn’t want to take my pitcher out of his rhythm’’ defense and fully regretted not asking for a replay review, as his own catcher suggested.

But his club, an underdog from the start, found a way to get the Division Series back to Cleveland, at the doorstep of the AL Championship Series.

“This is a team that, I felt like every time…we had tough times or backs against the wall, I felt like we responded really well,’’ said CC Sabathia, the Yankees veteran lefty who will start Game 5. “So, I didn’t see why we couldn’t go home and play well and end up back here.’’

As in that memorable Game 2, Sabathia will oppose Cleveland ace Corey Kluber, the AL’s leading 2017 Cy Young award candidate who made his quickest exit of the year last Friday.

“Everything,’’ Kluber said, when asked what he needed to correct after yielding six earned runs in just 2.2 innings in Game 2.

“I didn’t pitch well, didn’t have good command, didn’t throw the ball where I wanted to,’’ Kluber said. “So, that’s what it kind of boils down to.’’

During the regular season, the Yankees didn’t come close to that type of success against Kluber.

On Aug. 3, Kluber gave up one run in a complete-game, three-hitter against the Yanks at Progressive Field. Three weeks later in the Bronx, Kluber three-hit the Yanks over eight innings in a 6-2 Indians win.

“It’s still the same game, still 27 outs, all that kind of stuff,’’ Kluber said of heading into another elimination game. “There’s a little more, maybe, emotion – things like that. But when it comes down to it, it’s still the same game.’’

Up 3-1 on the Cubs in last year’s World Series, the Indians couldn’t end their own drought – since 1948 – of winning it all. And these Yanks have now won three elimination games in a week – including the AL wild card against the Twins

Talent, makeup and leadership play a part, Girardi said.

“But I think the belief that a lot of our young players, and the energy that they bring every day, is part of that’’ as well, the manager said.

None of that was on Girardi’s mind, though, as he reclined on the Yankees’ short charter flight here.

“I tried to relax’’ by watching Mara’s movie. “When I get a chance to turn my mind off, I try to, because I reflected a lot, probably in the last six or seven days.’’